Best Places In The World To Retire

There are no hurricanes in Chapala or Ajijic because we are located inland. Flooding has occurred on the streets but it is nothing that goes over your knees. However, the flood tends to be a nuisance because you cannot drive. 
 
We experience earthquakes from time to time and we get some pretty significant earthquakes here. Here in Chapala and Ajijic, you wouldn’t worry about dying in an earthquake because most the buildings here are not more than two stories. I would...

There are no hurricanes in Chapala or Ajijic because we are located inland. Flooding has occurred on the streets but it is nothing that goes over your knees. However, the flood tends to be a nuisance because you cannot drive. 
 
We experience earthquakes from time to time and we get some pretty significant earthquakes here. Here in Chapala and Ajijic, you wouldn’t worry about dying in an earthquake because most the buildings here are not more than two stories. I would be more concerned if I were in Guadalajara and there is an earthquake because there are more high-rise buildings over there. But in general, earthquakes have not caused that much of a problem here. 
 
Relative to fire, the homes here in Mexico are not built like the homes in the US where there are a lot of materials that can burn. Most of the homes here are built with concrete. I haven’t seen many fires here in Chapala and Ajijic. In my observation, for every house fire the firefighters tend to five or six are car fires and they are also the ones who take care of animal control issues. 
 
Overall, I have known of only two fires in Chapala since I have been here in 3 years. I don’t know of any brush fires here. What people might need a little getting used to initially, are the fires that farmers set to the bush and things around their fields. You could be driving along the highway, and no more than 5 to 10 feet away from the road, you will see a fire on the field, but it is a controlled fire, and nothing to be concerned about.

 

(Home with a rooftop patio and tile roof in Chapala, Mexico, pictured.)

The construction of homes in Portugal is very different than homes in England because homes in Portugal are built with bricks and tiles. Homes here are not very as well insulated as in England because of the difference in the weather. Portuguese use a lot of ceramic tiling, large terraces, and big windows. Central heating was just introduced in Portugal in the last 10 years. Air-conditioning is not very common because it is not needed unless you are in Lisbon since Lisbon is hotter than...

The construction of homes in Portugal is very different than homes in England because homes in Portugal are built with bricks and tiles. Homes here are not very as well insulated as in England because of the difference in the weather. Portuguese use a lot of ceramic tiling, large terraces, and big windows. Central heating was just introduced in Portugal in the last 10 years. Air-conditioning is not very common because it is not needed unless you are in Lisbon since Lisbon is hotter than in Cascais.
 
The architecture here in Portugal is different than in England because it is more Mediterranean. We use tiles and white walls. We usually have large living areas and bedrooms. We have big windows and French doors that open up to big terraces. There are terraces in the bedroom.
 
The construction of older homes here in Portugal is even more rustic; it’s more Portuguese. The way they do the tiles and the windows and doors these days are different. Most builders here now use aluminum and double-glazed glass.

 

(House in Portugal with terrace, pictured.)

The most convenient way to get around Belize is by flying on one of the local airlines - Tropic Air or Maya Island Air.  Each airline has a daily schedule that is dependable and reasonably priced.  Tropic Air has flights every 30 minutes out of BZE International Airport to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker starting at 7:00am - 5:00pm.  Cost for 2015 is $145 round-trip from BZE to San Pedro. 

 

Blue Tang Inn reserves this flight for our...

The most convenient way to get around Belize is by flying on one of the local airlines - Tropic Air or Maya Island Air.  Each airline has a daily schedule that is dependable and reasonably priced.  Tropic Air has flights every 30 minutes out of BZE International Airport to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker starting at 7:00am - 5:00pm.  Cost for 2015 is $145 round-trip from BZE to San Pedro. 

 

Blue Tang Inn reserves this flight for our guests and bills their room to pay upon check-in.

 

Sometimes guest ask us if they should take the water taxi to San Pedro (on the island of Ambergris Caye) from Belize City instead of flying.  The answer I give them is:  To get from BZE International Airport to the Water Taxi Terminal, you have to take a 25 minute cab ride through Belize City.  This costs $35 USD or ($17.50 divided by 2 ppl sharing).  The Water Taxi is $17.50  USD and is a 1.5 hour boat ride to San Pedro. So each will spend $35 for 2.5 hours of travel time. Then if you take a One-Way direct flight back to BZE when you return home, its $85 USD one-way. Total of $120 Round-trip (one-way water taxi and one way flight). Or, you can just fly round-trip 15 minutes each way for $145 USD.  I think its worth the $25 more per person to fly both ways direct from BZE terminal!

 

There are also daily flights from BZE International Airport or Muncipal Airport in Belize City to Placencia, Dangriga and Punta Gorda at 7:45am, 10:45am, 12:45pm, 2:45pm and 4:45pm.  Flight cost varies depending on where you stop.

 

Flights head West from BZE to Belmopan and San Ignacio at 11:45am, 2:45pm and 4:45pm.

 

 

Panama in general is a very safe place. When you come to Chitré, where I am from here in Panama, you will find that it is safer compared to other places in Panama. Our development, Cubitá, is located in Chitré. If you are going to Cubitá, you will have to go through a guarded gate. The security guards will first check if you are a property owner there and if not, they will make a phone call to verify if you have the right to pass through the gate.
 
If you...

Panama in general is a very safe place. When you come to Chitré, where I am from here in Panama, you will find that it is safer compared to other places in Panama. Our development, Cubitá, is located in Chitré. If you are going to Cubitá, you will have to go through a guarded gate. The security guards will first check if you are a property owner there and if not, they will make a phone call to verify if you have the right to pass through the gate.
 
If you are just walking around or if you are going to the mall on your own, you don’t have to worry about anything because Panama, and especially Chitré, is a safe place. In Cubitá, there are salons and supermarkets within walking distance from the villas and condos so most people just walk to these places and they don’t have any problems doing that.
 
I used to live in Panama City, but when we started the project in Cubitá, I loved it immediately, so 4 years ago, we decided to move to Chitré, which is around 3 hours away from Panama City. I really loved Chitré so I decided to buy a home here. After 2 years of living in Chitré, I had the opportunity to work in the hotel in Cubitá. I live with my parents and I have a 9-year old daughter. I let my daughter walk around here on her own without worrying about here safety. The hotel where I work in the development is only within walking distance from my home. When I am at the hotel, my daughter just calls me on the phone to let me know how she’s doing but she could definitely come to the hotel on her own. I don’t have to watch her all the time. However, I don’t let my daughter walk out of the development by herself. My mom goes to the supermarket on her own without my dad and there’s nothing to worry about (although she doesn’t have to go out of the development because there is also a market inside Cubitá). In case you really want to go out of the development and go to the mall, for example, you just have to call a taxi service or if you don’t want to call, you can just hail one from the street.
 
Overall, Chitré is pretty safe. I can even walk downtown at night without worrying about my safety. I have never had any incidents here. My parents haven’t, either. I used to live in Punta Paitilla in Panama City, and I never had any incidents of crime there, either. The only place I would worry about would be Colon but in general, Panama is a safe place to live. I lived in Italy for a year and in comparison, I feel that Panama has the same level of safety as Italy.  

 

(Layout of Cubita development with stores and services nearby, Chitre,  Panama pictured.)

Moving to another country gives you a new lease on life. When you move to a new country you have new experiences.
 
 I’m a firm believer that everybody in the planet should move overseas for about two years. If they do, they get a broader perspective. They see things. I always find the most narrow-minded people in America are people who rarely traveled or left the town they’ve lived in. Travel broadens the horizons in every way. You become more open to new...

Moving to another country gives you a new lease on life. When you move to a new country you have new experiences.
 
 I’m a firm believer that everybody in the planet should move overseas for about two years. If they do, they get a broader perspective. They see things. I always find the most narrow-minded people in America are people who rarely traveled or left the town they’ve lived in. Travel broadens the horizons in every way. You become more open to new experiences. It just improves a person; makes you more rounded.

 

(Stamped passport, pictured.)